Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
A good book in principle, about an interesting subject, but unfortunately it was very shallow on detail. I understand that for a lot of people there's not a lot of detail available, but it still felt very much like I was just getting my teeth into the story of one person when the next was introduced. The overall effect was rather unsatisfying.
In particular, there were several occasions when a section purported to be about a particular saint, but the majority of it was about other historical figures who were in a similar category for that saint. It felt like the subject matter would have been more accurately represented by either shorter chapters or the chapters being named after categories rather than saints.
Also, I was somewhat uncomfortable about the statement that the early Christians were a lot like ISIS. I know Ramirez meant in terms of the intensity of their faith, but... what?
In particular, there were several occasions when a section purported to be about a particular saint, but the majority of it was about other historical figures who were in a similar category for that saint. It felt like the subject matter would have been more accurately represented by either shorter chapters or the chapters being named after categories rather than saints.
Also, I was somewhat uncomfortable about the statement that the early Christians were a lot like ISIS. I know Ramirez meant in terms of the intensity of their faith, but... what?
A really good book about the Anglo-Saxon period, as told via the frame of the rock stars of their day, the saints. I really enjoyed Ramírez's take on the evidence, and was particularly interested to learn how Bede consigned the raven, as a key supporting figure in Anglo-Saxon pagan folklore, to the dustbin of mythological history with simple flick of his editorial quill when reviewing the bible story of Noah in a translated manuscript.
If I have any criticism of the book, it's one that I realise is specifically particular to me - in terms of the story of St Cuthbert, I actually think his long afterlife as a specifically referenced player in the affairs of his community (i.e. if you dealt with the community of Cuthbert in Lindisfarne and later Durham after Cuthbert's death, contemporary sources saw the bishop they were talking to as a stand-in for Cuthbert himself) is fascinating and could have been explored to some extent in the book. But then the world doesn't revolve around me, and maybe I should write my own bloody book?! ;-)
Overall, I recommend this book if you've any interest in history, religion, or just the Anglo-Saxons in general.
If I have any criticism of the book, it's one that I realise is specifically particular to me - in terms of the story of St Cuthbert, I actually think his long afterlife as a specifically referenced player in the affairs of his community (i.e. if you dealt with the community of Cuthbert in Lindisfarne and later Durham after Cuthbert's death, contemporary sources saw the bishop they were talking to as a stand-in for Cuthbert himself) is fascinating and could have been explored to some extent in the book. But then the world doesn't revolve around me, and maybe I should write my own bloody book?! ;-)
Overall, I recommend this book if you've any interest in history, religion, or just the Anglo-Saxons in general.